In the pages that follow, you have the opportunity to learn more about Columbia Business School’s PhD program, the application process, and what you can expect if you are admitted. Should you need any additional assistance during this time of inquiry, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are here to respond to any questions or concerns you might have.

Young Alumni Balseiro wins George B. Dantzig Dissertation Award

Ethan Rouen wins Deloitte Doctoral Fellowship in Accounting

The Deloitte Foundation has awarded $25,000 grants to 10 top accounting Ph.D. candidates through the Deloitte Foundation’s annual Doctoral Fellowship program. Given to students who plan to pursue academic careers upon graduation, the award will support the 2015 recipients’ final year of coursework and the subsequent year to complete their doctoral dissertation.

Top Ten Doctoral Admissions Questions

What English equivalency exams do you accept? How do I exempt from this requirement?

International students who do not have a degree from an institution in which all instruction is conducted in English must take either the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), PTE (Pearson Test of English), or IELTS ( International English Language Testing System). You may be exempted from the TOEFL, PTE, or IELTS only if you have earned a degree from an institution in which English is the language of instruction only degrees earned before the start date of the program of application will be given this waiver. We will not accept requests for exceptions to this policy.

Do you have a minimum grade point average?

We do not. Our review process is holistic and we review each transcript in depth to analysis individual courses as well as the grade point average.

What is the minimum or average score on the GRE and GMAT?

We do not have minimum score requirements for applicants, and do not make admissions decisions based solely on test scores. Most admitted students score 90 percent and upward on each section of the standardized exam of their choice.

Can I apply to more than one division?

Students are permitted to apply to one divisions per application period. You are welcome to apply to one of our five divisions: Accounting, Decision, Risk and Operations, Finance and Economics, Management, or Marketing. If you are having a difficult time finding a division suiting your interests, a more nuanced understanding of these fields can be seen in the areas of expertise of the Business School’s faculty research.

Should I contact faculty before I apply?

Contacting faculty prior to application is not necessary or recommended. Faculty receive hundreds of emails from prospective students and regret that they are unable to respond to all inquiries. Prospective students are encouraged to learn about faculty and doctoral student research using the following the directory.

What official materials do you require?

We do not require official transcripts or test scores for application to the Program. Applicants are asked to upload transcripts and self-report test scores using our online application technology. If a student is admitted we ask that all official copies of the uploaded documents be submitted and verified.

How do I apply?

Apply using our online application. We ask that you do not send any documents directly to the School, all materials can be submitted online. Please comply with the posted application deadlines, being sure to include all required components of the application.

How many students will you accept this year?

The aim of our Program is to accept 23 students per year (Accounting: 4, DRO: 4, Finance: 6, Management: 5, Marketing: 4).

Is there an advantage to applying early?

We review all applications after the posted deadlines. However, we encourage applicants submit early enough to give their recommenders time to submit their letters and evaluations.

Can I reapply to the Doctoral Program?

We do not accept reapplications requests as the application is completely online. Applicants are welcome to apply again using a new essay, and updated materials. Many admitted students have applied before and are successful because they updated their materials and showed us the progress that was made since their last application.

Profiles: PhD Students

Shiri MelumadMarketing
When asked about the Program's sense of community Shiri says: “There is a tight-knit community amongst the marketing students, and the relationships I have formed have been both professionally and personally rewarding.